Hundreds line up for free food at Manna House

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The line snaked around the outside of the Manna House building off South Memorial Parkway, much like the lines expected for Black Friday's after-Thanksgiving sales.

But for the hundreds of people waiting Monday for the doors to open, it wasn't about getting a good bargain. It was all about surviving.

"People who are now realizing they may not have food for Thanksgiving are beginning to panic," said Manna House Director Fran Fluhler. "They are coming here out of desperation."

The doors opened at 4 p.m. But they started lining up around 1:30 p.m. to get food, diapers and virtually any necessity to make it through another week.

But this was not just any week. It's Thanksgiving week and the Manna House is doing all it can to ensure everyone, homeless and hungry, will have an enjoyable holiday.

Some came with infants such as Simone Brown. Others, like Andrew Foster and Reuben Brazelton Jr., came with small children.

Brown was standing in line holding her five-month old son, Jaiden Tatum, while her 5-year-old daughter, Saniya Caudle, was home with her father. Brown had just returned to work from maternity leave, but is struggling.

"I just need some diapers for my son, but if they have food to give me, I will accept it," said Brown, who was on her first visit to Manna House.

Foster has a full-time job at a local department store, but he also said he is still struggling to make ends meet. He and his wife juggle baby-sitting duties with their son, Austin, 3 1/2, who he brought along.

"I'm just doing this for him," said Foster, 29. "I can do without, but he can't. He has to eat."

Fluhler expects Manna House volunteers will feed several thousand people this week. Last Saturday, 925 people received pre-packed Thanksgiving dinners. Fluhler was expecting from 1,000 to 1,500 Monday night and that many more Tuesday.

"They began lining up at 7:30 a.m. Saturday to be served at 3 p.m.," said Fluhler, who directs traffic while giving interviews and hugs all at the same time. "About 50 percent (of the people in line) are new each night."

Monday marked Foster's second visit to Manna House. He was impressed with how he was treated the first time.

"This is the only place I know of to get food like this," said Foster, who moved here nine years ago. "I hate to ask for help. It's hard. But I feel blessed just to have a job and they treated me really nice."

Hundreds more will actually be served a free Thanksgiving dinner in the parking lot of the Little Farm Grill on Whitesburg Drive between noon and 2 p.m. It's open to anyone and is in its fifth year, said Fluhler, who spends much of her time at the Manna House, a 501-C3 organization sponsored by individuals, businesses and churches in the Huntsville area.

"The need is growing day by day," said Fluhler. "Our goal is to continue to be a community that cares about people, and we thank the Lord for whatever people can donate."

Brazelton was with his "almost eight" granddaughter Ebony, who he is raising by himself. He said they were thankful to be able to get a Thanksgiving meal.

"I'm struggling," said Brazelton, 56, who lost his job when Dunlop closed in 2003. "I'm on a fixed income and with high utility bills, we need help."

He had to bring Ebony, a second grader at Lynn Fanning Elementary School, was just happy to be hanging out with her grandfather. "I love him," she said when asked what she thought about her grandfather.

While the stories were all different, the needs are the same -- food, clothes, baby diapers, toiletries. As far as donations, Fluhler said the most immediate needs are peanut butter and jelly and macaroni and cheese for kids and the elderly, as well as sandwich baggies, socks, coats and diapers.

While most stories were of despair and need, at least one person in line -- James Toney, 78 -- said he was optimistic better days are ahead.

"I've seen a lot of changes in my life," said Toney, who was a plumber for Boeing, Allied and Dunlop during his career before retiring in 2004. "It's going to get better."

The Manna House is located at 2110 South Memorial Parkway behind the Animal Emergency Clinic. It is open for food distribution Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 until 7 p.m. and volunteers are needed from 2 until 7:30 p.m. For monthly Angelfood distribution, visit www.angelfoodministries.org . For more information call 256-503-4848.